Unframed, Ellis Island

Ellis Island, NYC, USA

2014

ELLIS, Short film by JR, with Robert de Niro, 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, 2014

The UNFRAMED Ellis Island project aims to bring alive the memory of Ellis Island, the entry point to America for millions of immigrants. Coming from all over the world, leaving their belongings, their family and their past behind them, with the fear that they may be sent back to it, the presence of these people who have shaped the modern American identity can still be felt in the buildings, although abandoned for the past 70 years. This is the opportunity to interpret the stories of these people through art.

Unframed, An immigrant family views the Statue of Liberty from the Ellis Island Immigration Station dock revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, U.S.A.

In August 2014, JR is invited to work on the abandoned part of Ellis Island. This island, next to the Statue of Liberty, is very symbolic - the gateway to the United States for 12 million immigrants, from 1892 to 1954. On the South side of the island, the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital has been abandoned since 1954. JR revisited the archives of Ellis Island and created many installations in these buildings so full in stories.

The short film ELLIS starring Robert De Niro, written by Eric Roth, on a music by Woodkid performed by Nils Frahm, came out in 2015.

You can visit the abandoned hospital and discover the pastings by booking a Hard Hat tour on www.saveellisisland.org

Unframed, Ellis Island, JR explaining his project, 2014

Unframed, Children treated in the Ellis Island hospital revised by JR, courtesy of National Archives, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Doctors and nurses performing surgery in an operating room in the Ellis Island Main Hospital revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument & National Archives, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Hygiene Conference Delegates revised by JR, courtesy of The Library of Congress, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Chairs, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Immigrants about to head back to their starting point revised by JR, courtesy of the Library of Congress, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Nurses at Ellis Island Hospital revised by JR, courtesy of Ellis Island Immigration Museum, USA, 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Immigrants landing at Ellis Island from a transfer barge revised by JR, courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, USA, 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Immigrants group in Ellis Island revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Ferry Ellis Island in front of the Ellis Island Main Immigration Building revised by JR, courtesy of to be found , U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Nurses at Ellis Island Hospital revu par JR, courtesy of Ellis Island Immigration Museum, USA, 2014

Unframed, Czech grand mother in Ellis Island revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Ellis Island, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Four immigrants on a dock, looking over the water at Ellis Island revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument & National Archives, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Sleeping immigrants at Ellis Island, revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument & National Archives, U.S.A., 2014

Unframed, Surgical staff in an operating room on Ellis Island revised by JR, courtesy of National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument & National Archives, U.S.A., 2014

THE GHOSTS OF ELLIS ISLAND, by JR